Mobilizing for Back-to-School: why location targeting is a must for H2

As we find ourselves in back-to-school season, marketers may recall the results of Q3 2017, which brought in over $83.6B in sales in the US alone. In order to capture those sales again this year (if not surpass them), leveraging mobile location data is more important than ever, especially considering that 90% of all sales still occur offline. With mobile location data, digital advertisers can straddle the online/offline divide and deliver more relevant and effective back-to-school campaigns, no matter where or how consumers are shopping.

Factual, one of our partners in the mobile location data space, recently commissioned Lawless Research to survey over 700 buyers across brands and agencies for Factual’s Location Based Marketing Report. In the survey, 84% of marketers reported that location data improved their campaign effectiveness. So, as we dive into retail’s busiest time of year – with over $86B on the line — leveraging mobile location data is a must. Here’s why:

(1) Improve audience targeting:

Considering real-world behavior is a stronger intent signal than web browsing behavior, location data is a powerful tool. It enables advertisers to target audiences based on historical and real-time patterns of consumer behavior. With the help of location data, advertisers can deliver more relevant advertising — targeting new consumers, engaging existing customers, influencing competitors’ customers, and more.

(2) Use unique audience insights:

In the survey mentioned above, 77% of marketers said that location data had provided them with a deeper understanding of customers’ needs and interests. By translating observations into actionable targeting strategies, advertisers can shape their back-to-school messaging based on how consumers behave in the real world. They’ll be able to create more relevant campaign creative based on where and when users are shopping.

(3) Measure campaign effectiveness:

Location targeting also enables advertisers to connect back-to-school digital marketing campaigns to offline results to understand what drives consumers to purchase particular products and services. By integrating back-to-school shoppers’ in-store conversions into The Trade Desk platform, advertisers can measure the full impact of their media investments – instead of relying on estimates or proxy metrics – and use these insights to enhance future digital strategies.

As advertisers compete to gain mindshare in the coming seasons, mobile represents the key to delivering relevant campaigns that resonate with consumers. It allows marketers to optimize digital efforts and drive purchases online and offline. For more information or a customized strategy for your campaign, reach out to data@thetradedesk.com or your main contact at The Trade Desk.